Gas heater



A. H. WOLFF.

GAS HEATER.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. B, 1921.

1,410,236, 7 Patented Mar. 21,1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON H. wonrr, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS HEATER.

Application filed March 8,

To (Allin/ 10m it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anson H. VVOLFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas l'leaters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

lily invention relates to gas heaters, and more particularly to a device of this character particularly adapted for domestic use.

In a heater made in accordance with my invention, the construction is such as to ensure the effective utilization of the heat from they burners in raising the temperature of a large volume of circulating air and its diffusion about the room to be heated, thus securing economy in the operation of the heater.

The construction by which" the desired circulation of air is secured is also effective in cooling the metal at the back of the heater, and that portion of the upper part of the reflector which is subjected to the highest temperatures while the heater is in use.

The gas burners are so constructed as to ensure substantially complete combustion of the gas, the products of combustion being commingled with the moving air and dclivercd therewith into the room to be heated, these heated gases delivered adjacent the outlet increasing the effective movement of air in the air circulation system and also inducing an rip-draft adjacent the top of the burners and the heating elements associated therewith, from the ront of the heater or adjacent the casing or reflector.

By reason of the cooling effect of the moving air upon the metallic portions of the heater at the back thereof, high temperatures may be developed by the heating unit without likelihood of injury to inflammable matter near the back of the heater,

and the heater while in operation may be readily transported from place to place by means of a handle carried by the cooled back structure of the heater.

The casing or reflector structure at the front of the heating unit projects radiant heat into the room in the same manner as the reflectors now ordinarily used in gas heaters.

The invention consists primarily in a gas Specification of Letters latent. Patented luau 21 1922 1921. Serial No. 450,622.

heater embodyingtherein a reflecting casinghaving an opening substantially centrally thereof, whereby a reflecting surface is presented about: and in frontofsaid opening, means forming a combustion chamber rearwardly of said opening, a heating unit within said combustion chamber and xposed through said opening, and means iormmg a line, the opposite ends of which communicate respectively with atmosphere adjacent the lower part of and above, said combustion chamber, whereby a convection movement of air is set up about said COII1' Fig. l is a'front'view ofa heater embodying my invention;

. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and i Fig. 3 is a sect-ion on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, a indicates a casing which is preferably of polished copper or other I suitable material to form a reflector for projecting radiant heat forwardly of the heater. This casing reflector, substantially centrally thereof, has a rectangular opening a, therethrough, rearwardly of which is a housing 7) forming a combustion chamber above the gas burner c, which is of the blueflame type and has associated therewitha plurality of refractory elements (Z known in the art as radiants, positioned within said combustion chamber, one above each burner opening.

The housing 5 of the combustion chamber may be of any desired construction, that ordinarily employed being .-a solid sheet metal back plate, a perforated sheet metal front plate and an interposed sheet of .asbestos. This construction being immaterial to the invention, is shown merely convent-ion ally in the drawings.

The open front of the casing a is protected by a shield a which may be of any desired construction.

At the rear of the casing a and the back wall of the housing of the combustion cha1nher 6, I provide means forming a flue e the opposite ends of which respectively communicate with atmosphere adjacent the lower part of the combustion chamber;- or.

housing I) and above said housing, said flue form ng means. lnclosing the combustion chamber with the two-fold object of cooling the wall of the combustiontchamber and the upper part of the casing a, and utilizing the heat transferred from, said wall and said casing-to induce a convection movement of air; which willbe delivered into the room, ad-

- j acent thetop ofsaid casingw.

.Therear wall: of said: flue forming means at extends .parallelwith the back walljof the housing of;the.co1nbustion chamber 6, and

1 bustion chamber-andzthe top of the casing so ing a.

then; forwardly across the top of'said comastodirect.theheated air passing from said flue. substantially horizontally, and thus ensure. a; more effective diffusion of the heatedair emitted from said flue.

The combustioncchamber Z7 opens into said flue adjacent the top thereof, thus deliver ing the products; of combustion into the flowing stream of heated air, raising the temperature thereof. so as to increase the rate of flow ofthis airthrough the; flue, and at the same time. inducing amovement of air: through the upper. portionof. the open- This will increase. the effective volume of-secondaryv air for ensuring. a ,complete combustion of the mixture of gas and primary air at the. burner openings and about the radiants or refractory elements. Bu: reasoncofsthe. a-ir gap-between the back wall of the housing Z2 and the-rear wall of The burner 0 consists of amixingchamber having. a plurality of alined openings c at the-top thereof; and a plurality of openings,

at the bottom thereof in axial alinement with said top openings, but of smaller diameter; Rassingvertically throughthe burner casing are, a plurality. of supplemental air tubes 0 Whichopen through, the lower openings in said casing and through the burner opens.

ings 0. thereof, being substantially co-terminous with: the tops-of said. last named.

openingsandof asuficiently small diameter to afford burner jet openings about the tubes and; concentric, therewith. At one side of t-hetubes, 0. is. an enlarged portionvc ex tending adjacent all of the said tubes. 0 the.

purpose ofrwhich enlarged portion is to forrnna distmbuting chamber which will en-.

sure substantial uniformity in the volume of gas. and air mixture delivered to each of the burner openings 0.

Discharging into the chamber c is a mixing. tube 9 provided with the usual valve controlled nipple g by means of which the burner may be connected with a source of gas supply; V

The mixing tubeg discharges directly into the distributing chamberc the relation of the outlet of said tube and the various supplemental air tubes 0 being such as to provide an unobstructive passage between saidoutlet and-said distributing chamber;

The heater is provided with any desired formof base it.

Supported from thetop of the burner c is a plate 2' having" webs thereon. forpositioning the refractory elements or radiantswith. relationto the various burner openings 0. This plate projects rearwardly ofthe house ing 6 intoengagement with the back wall of the-flue e and is of'a widthto engage both side walls of said flue. The portion of'said plate within said-flue is provided with a plurality of openings '5 to permit thev passage of air therethrough.

The portion of theplate 2'- extending into engagement withthe walls ofitheflueserves merely as a stay for the flue at this point, and may be dispenseclwith if desired.

A- suitablexopening-in the back wall of the flue e is rovided at c to ZLCCOIIIIIIO'.

date the mixing tube g.

The outlet ofthc fine 6 isprovidedwith a. protecting gauze or screen jnsed. largely to secure a better finish in the commercial article.

The operation of the herein described heater is substantially as follows When gas is delivered to. the burner throughthemixing tube 9, it will pass. directly to the distributing chamber 0 in which it will be diffused for the entire width of the burner so as to flow in substantially equal volume and at substantiall uniform pressure to each of the burner openings a. This. resultcan be securedionly by having. the gas and primary. air mixture flow directly into said distributing chamber through an unobstructed path, sinceif. the mixtureshould impinge upon any-of the tubes 0 the opening 0 adjacent said tube would receive too great a volume of the mixture and the remaining burner openings would receive too small a volume, or if-the volume of infiowing mixture. be reduced to properly. proportion the volume thereof delivered: to a particular burner, the volume delivered to. the other: burners would be sufficiently reduced to produce a very. marked difference in the flame at the. different burners.

After thebu rner; has been lighted for a short interval, the various refractory elements orradiants cl will become-incandescent as a result of the action of the blue flame of the various burner openings thereon.

As the air in the flue 6 adjacent the housing 6 is heated, a convection movement of air will be set up in said flue, which will be augmented by the escape of theproducts of combustion through the open top of the housing 6 into said flue at a point intermediate the'inlet and outlet thereof. In this manner a continuous stream of heated air will be projected substantially horizontally into a room, the volume of this air, by reason of the arrangement of the flue e,being very much greater with a given consumption of gas than would normally be heated in the absence of said flue.

The upflow of the products of combustion in addition to increasing the volume of air moving through the flue 6, will also induce a movement of air from the front of the housing I) through the combustion chamber, thus increasing the effective supply of secondary air, ensuring perfect combustion of the gases within and about the refractory elements, and avoiding the presence of noxious fumes discharged from the flue into the room.

The polished surface of the casing a will project radiant heat forwardly of the heater, supplement the pleasing effect of the refractory elements or radiants, and more or less control the flow of air through the opening a to the combustion chamber, particularly toward the lower part thereof.

The arrangement of the casing a and of the outlet of the flue'e will cause the entire volume of air heated to be projected forwardly of the heater in a manner to secure a very effective diffusion thereof toward the lower part of a room, the entire back of the heater being kept at a fairly low'temperature by the air circulating through the flue e. The presence of the flue adjacent the portion of the casing 64 directly above and in front of the housing I) will reduce the temperature of this portion of the casing in a manner to prevent a rapid tarnishing thereof, although it will be necessary from time to time to polish this portion of the casing.

While preferably the inlet of the fine 6 is extended well below the burner openings 0', this is not essential, since it is merely neces sary to have the inlet of the flue communicate with atmosphere adjacent the said burner openings, the construction shown being largely for securing a better finish in the product, since the flue conceals the entire burner structure from the back and sides, the casing a concealing it from the front.

The cooling of the rear portion of the heater will permit it to be positioned any place in a room, since under no circumstances will the back of the heater become sufliciently heated to increase the fire hazard or cause possible damage to woodwork in or about a room.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I-Iaving'described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A gas heater embodying therein a reflecting casing having an opening substan tially centrally thereof, whereby a reflecting surface is presented about and in front of said opening, means forming a combustion chamber rearwardly of said opening, a heating unit within said combustion chamber and exposed through said opening, and means forming a flue, the opposite ends of which communicate respectively with atmosphere adjacent the lower part of, and above, said combustion chamber, whereby a convection movement of air is setup about said combustion chamber and air so heated is delivered to a room,

2. A gas heater embodying therein a reflecting casing having an opening substantially centrally thereof, whereby a reflecting surface is presented about and in front of said opening, an open topped housing forming a combustion chamber rearwardlv of said opening, a heating unit within said combustion chamber and exposed through said opening, and means forming a flue inclosing said housing and having its opposite ends respectively in communication with atmosphere adjacent the lower part of, and above, said combustion chamber, and communicating therewith through the open top thereof, whereby a convection movement of air is set up about said combustion chamber and air so heated is delieverd to a room.

3. A gas heater embodying therein a casing in the form of a reflector and having an opening substantially centrally thereof. whereby a reflecting surface is presented about and in front of said opening, means forming a combustion chamber rearwardly of said opening, a heating unit within said combustion chamber and exposed through said opening, and means forming a flue, the opposite ends of which communicate respectively with atmosphere adjacent the lower part of, and above, said combustion chamber, whereby a convection movement of air is set up about said combustion chamber and air so heated is delivered to a room.

4. A gas heater embodying therein a reflecting casing having an opening substantially centrally thereof, whereby a reflecting surface is presented about and in front of said opening, an open topped housing forming a combustion chamber rearwardly of said opening, a heating unit within said combustion chamber and exposed through said opening-and means forming a flue inclosing said housing and havingits opposite ends respectively in communication with atmosphere adjacent the lower part of, and above, said combustion chamber, and com surface is pr esented about and in, front of said opening, an open topped housing forming a combustion chamber rearwardly of said opening, a heating, unit within said combustion chamber and exposed through said: opening, said: heating unit comprising; a burnercasmghaving a plurality of burneropenmgs adapted to develop, ablue; flame,

and a refractory element positioned above each burner opening, and means forming a flue mclosmg said housing and having itsopposite ends, respectively in communic ation; with atmosphere ad acent the lowerpart of, and above,- said combustion chamber, and

communicating therewith through, the open top thereof, whereby a convection movement of air is set up about saidlcombustion chamber and air so heated is delivered to a room.

6. A gas heater embodying therein a re fleeting casing having an opening substanti ally centrally thereof, whereby a reflecting surface is presented about andin front. of said opening, an opentopped housingforming a combustion chamber rearwardly of" said opening, -a,heating unit within said combustion chamber and exposed through said opening, comprisingacasing forming mixing" chamber and a distributing chamber communicating therewith through its entire length, said casing having a plurality of alined openings through the top and bottom thereof, the top openings being largenthan the lower openings, a; tube opening through the lower openings and extendinginto the upper openings respectively, whereby aburner opening is formed between each tub and the wall of the upper'opening, and supplemental'air isdel-ivered within said opens, in, communicationwith a source of gas supply, and discharging directly intosaid dis whereby a convection movement of above and forwardly of said and mixing tube adapted to be placed tributing chamber, and means forming a flue inclosing said housing and haying 1ts OPPOSltQ ends respectively 1n 1 communication with atmosphere; adjacent the lower part of, I

and above, said combustion chamber, and communicating; therewith through the open top thereof, whereby a convection movement of air is set up about said combustion chamber and air so heated is delivered to a room. V p

7. A gas heaterembodying-therein a re fleeting casing having an opening, substantially centrally thereof, whereby a reflecting surface is presented about and in front of said opening, an, open topped'y housing formmg a combustion chamber: rearwardly, of,

said opening, a heating unit within, said combustion chamber and exposed through said open ng, compris ng a casing forming a nnxlng chamber and-a distributing chamber communicating therewith through its en tire length said casing having a plurality of alined openings through the top andbot tom thereof, the top, openings being larger than the lower openings, a tube opening through the lower open ngs and extending into the upper openings respective1y,whereby aburner openlng, is formed between each tube and the wall of the upper opening, and-- supplemental air is delivered within said,

opening, and mixing tube adapted to be placed iii communication with source of gas supply, and discharging directly into said distributing; chamber, ,Ineans forming a flue inclosing said housing and haying-its opposite ends respectively in communication with atmosphereadj acent the lower part of, and above, said combustion: chamber, and communicating therewith through the open top thereof, whereby a convection movementa of air is, setup about said combustion chamber and air, so heated is, delivered to aroom, and a plate extending across the bottom of said combustionchamberadj acent the burner openings, and acrossthelfiue, the portion :of said plate within said combustion chamber having: means for retaining the refractory elements with relation to the burneropenings and the portion thereof within the flue having openings 1 therethrough and engaging the wallsof saidqflue to stay same. 7

In witness whereofl have hereunto aflixed my signature, in, the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 7th day of March,

V AARON I-LW OLFR.

Witnesses:

F. T. WENTWORTH, FRIEDA KoEHLnR. 

